The Los Angeles Times recently reported of a Fullerton man who is accused of taking photographs of naked women after installing software that allowed him access to their laptops.
This comes on the heels of an arrest in Glendora after a man allegedly hid a camera inside the women’s bathroom of a Starbucks coffee shop, the newspaper reported.
As technology becomes more and more prevalent in our society, it can also be exploited to create false evidence against innocent people. This is especially true in Orange County cyber crimes. Many people who use file-sharing websites can have their computers hacked and others can put child pornography or other incriminating evidence on their hard drives without their knowledge. That is why hiring an experienced Orange County Criminal Defense Lawyer is critical to ensuring you can diligently fend off criminal charges.
According to the news reports, authorities found hundreds of thousands of images of women in various states of undress and already six victims have been identified, leading to a dozen charges of computer access and fraud. Police obtained a search warrant and viewed his computers, which included incriminating evidence, the article states.
The computer repairman allegedly installed spyware onto the laptops of fellow students of Biola University and other friends, which brought up an error message telling them their computer’s internal sensor was damaged and needed steam to clean it. So, the women would bring their laptops into their bathrooms, allowing him to allegedly film them getting undressed.
According to the California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act, people are protected from tampering, interference, fraud and unauthorized access to computer systems. The law, California Penal Code 502, people convicted of this type of crime can be sent to prison for up to three years and fined up to $10,000.
These are serious charges and have no doubt that politicians are taking note of the change in technology. As with any other crime that gains media attention, lawmakers will want to show voters how tough they are on crime and will continue pushing for tougher penalties, which will include prison time.
And some crimes, such as child pornography, can be charged in federal court and carry even tougher penalties that those brought in state court. Creating, distributing or receiving child pornography can result in decades in prison, if convicted. This is all the more reason to not make any statements to law enforcement, don’t consent to a search and seizure without a proper search warrant and consult with an attorney immediately.
A skilled attorney will fight to dispute the evidence, suppress it from being shown to a jury, prove that someone else could have hacked the defendant’s computer or utilize other defense strategies. Don’t leave these complex charges up to anyone. Hire an attorney who has years of experience defending clients from serious criminal charges.
If you’re facing a cyber crimes charge in Anaheim, Irvine, Santa Ana or elsewhere in Orange County, you should contact a lawyer. Call Orange County criminal defense attorneys at (714) 705-6701.